Precipitation-tank.



W. L. MORRIS.

PREGIPITATION TANK.

APPLICATION FILED FIiBJG. 1912 Patented Mar. 2, 1915.

W. L. MORRIS.

PRECIPITATION TANK.

APPLICATION FILED PBB.16, 1012.

1,129,893. Patented Mar. 2, 1915.

2 SHEETS*SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM L. MORRIS, OF FORT WAYNE, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO S. F. BOWSEB &: COD;- PANY, INQ, OF FORT WAYNE, INDIANA, A CORPORATION OF INDIANA.

Specification of Letiers Patent."

Patented Mar. 2, 1915.

Application filed February 16, 1912. Serial No. 677,996.

To all whom it m og concern Be it known that I, \VILLIAM L. MORRIS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fort Wayne, in the county of Allen and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful lnn'u'o'vements in Precipitation- Tanks, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to precipitation tanks, and the object of the invention'is to provide an im 'iroved tank and devices connected therewith adapted to receive mixed liquids, as for example, very dirty oil, that is, oil which carries too much impurity to filter it and to settle or precipitate the impm-ities from the oil and draw oil the clear oil.

A further object of the invention is to provide precipitation means of the class described which is adapted to 'v-rork continuously, and. at the same time being so arranged that the ineon'iing oil mixed with impurities to be clarified. may he so admitted that there will be the least possible agitation of the materials within the apparatus, agitating the liquid contents of the apparatus as little as possible, and hence shortening the time required in settling and separating the various constituents of the liquids being treated.

' It will. be apparent that precipitation by the gravity process cannot well take place if there be counter movements induced by the admitting of oil adapted to induce a direct current through device or counter movements induced by the heat applied or by drawing off the oil. It the rate of velocity of the precipitation in a given quantity of liquid be, for example, one-fourth inch an hour and a counter current of equal velocity be induced, it will be evident that the i'mpurities will notbc allowed to descend. There are or" course impurities such as metallic dust and the like, which precipitate more rapidly, but in the case of impurities that do move at a very siow rate. it is desirable to guard against counter cur rents in admitting and drawing off oil and in applying heat in order to avoid retarding preci pitati on.

Heretoioro precipitation systems have been used consisting of a series of tanks in which'the oil is adn'iittcd near the bottom, allowed to rise and pass to a succeeding tank emptying near the bottom thereof, and repeating the operation on through a series of "tanks, the attempt being made to secure a. certain amount of precipitation in each tank which will not pass from the tank with the overflowing oil. Under such conditions the rate of travel of the oil is relatively 'fast and the distance through which the oil travels is correspondingly great and the results not satisfactory.

In the present invention I have sought to procure the slightest possible movement of the oil in order to procure the maximum results with respect to precipitation and at the same time shortening the distance of travel as much as possible.

Instead of providing a plurality of settling tanks, I prefer to provide only a sing'le settling tank, which is shown in vertical section in Figure 1, other portions of the apparatus associated with the tank being also shown in section in this view, including what may be termedthe batch tank and a feed tar.-- having direct communication through a feed pipe with the precipitation tank. Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional View taken near the bottom of the precipitation tank approximately on line 2--2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view of the float controlled valve in the discharge pipe leading from the batch tank to the feed tank. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail view of one of the spreaders at the discharge end of the feed pipes on the interior of the precipitation tank.

The capacity. of the precipitation tank shown in Figs. 1 and 2 would preferably be of larger size than the ordinary settling tank where a plurality of such tanks are connccted together in a single system, and if for example, a battery of three such tanks had been employed in the system to construct a system after the present invention the total capacity of the preferred tank used would equal the combined capacity of the tanks in the old system, and whatever the velocity would be of the liquid through three tanks in series, one tank having a total capacity of, for example, three tanks in series according to the old manner of construction, would have only one-third as much velocity im part-ed to the liquid flowing through a tank constructed according to the present invention. Furthermore, it is desired to admit oil so it will not cross the path that the prehaving the hottest most extremity of t e funnel-ska [as indicate'dat 12' ma "walls of the cylindrica precipitation tank 10 at 16; win

. precipitation so that it will not be "tance above the cipitated portions would take in falling on the interior-of the tank and at the same time admit the oil to be precipitated'irom the source of supply so that deposits of precipitated material on the interior of the tank will not be disturbed, and also so that such deposits may be removed from the precipitation tank without the agitation ofthe oil above the same in the tank. It is also found desirable to apply heat to a system necessary for any oil in the tank to become hotter than any stratum ofoil which ma be above another stratum, iniother we: at all times oil'on-the to toprevent an tendenoyloward mixin'quoo oil due to dillerencesi in temper-stared ughout the mass: 7 I .7 1

In 'carry'ing'out the princi ice of the mof" sheet metal as illustrated pan cylindrical in form-the wallsoisame indicated by the referencecharacter 10.

being The cylindrical portion of the tank ma'y extend to a floor as illustratedin Fig. 1, there being a funnel-shapedbottom 1 1 secuned to the cylindrical walls of the tank 1 0a short d18- floor preferablmin order that the discharge ipe securedto the lower- I bottom, be 'led'" rough the bodyportion 'of the to a'convenient place of discharge, as for-example. to a gutter indicated'at 18 in the door 14, thevouter'end of the discharge pipe 12 being provided with a controlling va ye as indicated at '15. ,The funnel-shaped bottom member 11 ma be riveted'orotherwise secured to the cylindrical walls of the tank 10. In'order to heat the settli tank a bafile lplate, as indicated '51 is cylindrica in form is placed around the outer walls of the tank .10 at some distance in order to form an air space between this cylindrical plateand-the walls of the tank. On the outside of the baille plate 16 and aced some distance aphrt therefrom in 03hr to provid'aii air hamber for a steam coil, an outer roteetin; wall indicated by the reference 0 aracter 17, is provided, the same being cylindrical in form surrounding the entiretank throughout the greater portion of its height, being terminated at the top and bottom a little short of the tank bottom and preferably terminating .a little short of the up er extremity of the tank as illustrated. wall 17 is preferably constructed iii, the form of a jacket, being provided with two segzrated metallic cylindrical sh is with an as stos lining interposedbetw as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. At the tbp and bottom of the outer vvall or jacket 17 as a means for supporting the same, peripheral flanged the tank are he outer protecting ties from within tank mamas ischarge nipple also for suitable discharge connection at 20, the connections 19 and 20 both bei securing tie outer wall or. jacket 17 to the wall of the tank 10. At th e upper extremity the tank 10 is closed by a top cap, preferably "asbestos lined as indicated at 21, and proindicated ,3),

vided with a man-hole and cover at 22, The top cox or 21 is providedivith a float gage 23, which and protrudes ahove' oover,the lower-extremit having secured thereto a normaly'follow the level ofthe' 'oil withinthe tank as an indicaton A rod 25 also extends vertically through the and is controlled byawheei screw indicated e top side of t e of the-gage stick at 26, the lowere'xtremity of this rod being connected to a discharge pan which has connectcd to it in communication" with the bottom thereof a discharge pipe, the discharge an being indicated at 27 and the pipe at 28.

he pi j 28is mounted to telescope in the vertics discharge ipe 29, which has an outlet through the of the tank at 30 and is valve controlled as indicated at 31 on the exterior of the tank wall. The discharge pipe 29 is fixed in relation to the wall of t e not only because the discharge branch thereof a outwardly through the wall of the tank, but also-on-account of the bracket 32 secured near the upper end of the pipe end having one end fastened to the interior of the tank wall. 'The discharge pan 2[ and discharge pipe 28 is movably mounted in relation to the portion 29 of the discharge pipe telescoping referably on the inside thereof as illustrate {gland being provided in order to make a iquid-tight connection. By this construction the operator may? grasp the upper or hand portion 25 of the rod 25 and so regulate the vertical and the pan 27. of the tank and preferably on the inside of the upper heati coils, of which theiie may be as many as esired, the

same being indicated by the reference char- 12 acter 33, the extremities 34 and exterior of the tank indicating the inlet and discharge portions of the coil through which the steam or other heating fluid may be admitted. At the top of a suitable the pipe 36 is a batch tank 37, the pipe 36 being utilized not only to upport the tank, bntbeing tubular in formmidadapted be used for discharging collections of im uri- 37, fiepipe 36 35 on the being provided with 70 preferably through the flanges 75 tgasses therethrou' h I out 24, which'will 35 top cover 21 1 tank 100 any suitable form of packing height of the discharge 28 Just belowthe top cover 21- support as mes es leadingther'efrom, as indicated at 38, 39 re s ,ectively, some distance above the bottom of the tank inorder tonot disturb'sediment in the bottom when oil enters or is dis charged. The batch tank 37 is provided with a suitable cover 40, having a removable manhole 4:1, and the indicating portion of a float-controlled stick is shown passing through the cover, the stick being indicated at 4-2 and the float secured to the same at the lPf-Bl of the liquid within the tank by 43. The oil to be precipitated may be admitted in any desired. quantities and at any 'dgrce of velocityto the batch tank, from which it may be allowed to pass through the discharge pipe 39=m1dreluted means to the supply cup or tank 43 It is desirable that automatic means be provided for regulating the-flow of oil from the hatch tank and to preserve the desired height of fluid in the supply tank 43" as well as in the precipitation tank, since the supply tank -13} which is also provided with a funnel-shaped or depressed bottom, has leading therefrom utthe lowermost extremity of the bottom e, feed pipe 4-1 communicating with a feed ring which is in circular or polygonal form, surrounding the precipitation tank near its base, the same being indicated by the reference character 45. The pipe 44 leading from. supply tank 43 may be connected with. the feed ring pipe 45 by any suitable conreactions one convenient form being shown in F l and 2, consisting of an L joint the bottom of pipe 4-4 and an extension 4.4. leuding into a brunch connection as shown at 46 in Fig. 2 in the feed ring. The feed ring has leading from it a plurality of feed pipes 47, each. piercing the wall 10 of the precipitation tank and having at their inner extremities devices as indicated at 48, the function of which is to cause the flow of the oil to be somewhat checked and partied lurly deflected upwardly and back toward the tank wall 10 iii ord r to avoid any disturbance near the bottom of the tank which might disturb the heavier precipitated elements or those in the process of settling.

To refer now to the construction of the tout controlled feeding device for supply ing fluid from the-batch tank to'the supply l llh' &3, reference may be: had to h l and rmrticuhn'ly t0 the detailed sectional new in Fig. 2;, from which it will be seen that the iluidis discharged. from a point shove the eneral form, and us far as 'the;

interior-of thecussing E 0 isprovided with a vertical chamber in Which a. piston 51 is zidapted-to regis'terand normally to fill the chamber Within the casing. The piston member 51 hits a cutaway portion or trough at 51 adopted to extcndthrough and regis' fer with the opening from discharge pipe 3-) into the casing to the entrance-0r orifice of a discharge spout 52, which is tapped into the casing and discharges downwardly into the supply tank 43. The piston member 51 is perforated longitudinally and a. rod 53 is adjustabl y secured in the longitudinal perforation by means of the hand wheel and screw indicated at 54, which'is tapped into the material at the upper end of the piston member and is adapted to bind the member and the rod securely together. At the lower extremity of rod 53 a float 55 is secured. It will be noted .that'beyond the extremities of the grooved .or trough portion 51* of the piston the same is formed cylindriczrlly for some distance so that when the liquid within the supply tank 43 rises above a predetermined level with the piston member 51 Se cured to the rod 53, the piston will rise and cut oil? the intake port to the dischargepipe 52. It will be noted that on account of the adjustability of the rod 53 within the piston 51 the desired limit to which the liquid shall rise within supply tank 43 may be regulated.

The operation of the device will be better seen when it is,,underst00d that the precipitation of impurities within oil is a very slow process, a tank for example four feet in height, requiring under ordinary circumstances from a week to ten-days to settle the lighter impurities, or a settling movement of such impurities of only about six inches per day. Such precipitation cannot well take place if'therc be counter movemcntsinduced by the admittingof oil or by heat or by the drawing oli of the oil, as already observed. The apparatus shown and described meets theconditions which have been set forth,-because the application of heat to the liquid within the precipitation tank 10 coming from above because of the positionof the steam coils 33, is in effect much the same as the suns heat as applied upon the water, because the upper surface of the liquid within the tank will be very hot and the liquid will continue colder the-deeper the tank.

It will be noted that the coils 18 surrounding the body of the tankulO are not shown sulliciently numerous to apply a great quantity of'direct heat to the walls of the tank, and that such heat from these coils is more or less diffused by reason of the ballle plate 16 interposed between theseoils and the tank wall. The admission of incoming oil at n plurality of points as through the eight discharge pipes 47 and Spreaders 48 thereon,

breaks up the volume so that comparatively take place without disturbing the contents which may lie close to the depressed bottom. o

At desircdintervals the collections of heavier particles will be. discharged throu h the ipe 12 hi the control valve 15, or t e dirge of t e clarified oil iron; the top of the precipitation tank may take place more or less continuously by the overflowing to thev pan 27, pipes 28 and 29, the latter of the control of valve 31.

It will be evident that the height-of the oil in the precipitation tank may be regu- @ted'by the m'ovementof the pan 27 controlled by rod and hand member 25 secured to thetop thereof. The'gage stick 23 protruding above the top of the tank serves as an indication to the operator ofthe level of the oil within thebprecipitation tank. To

the same end suita e' gages may be employed of a form similar to that used'on from near the top engine boilers, the former indicating the gage which has glass reading tube on the precipitation tank and'the latter a similar gage on the, supply tank, It will be apparent that the normal height of the oil in the supply tank 43 and in the precipitation tank 10 will be the same, and that when the height in the supplytan'k reaches a given limit the floatcontrolledvalve described will cut off the inco hing supply from the batch tank until such' time as the level of the oil will haise receded sufiiciently to allow the float 5:) to drop and again open the valve controlling mechanism.

In order that the invention might be-undcrstood, I have shown in detail'the, pre-- ferred embodiment of the invention, but it will be apparent that persons skilledin the art may change materially these details without departing from the purpose and scope of theinvention.

I claim: r

1. In precipitation apparatus for remov ing impurities from oil andv the like, the combination with a precipitation tank vided with an outlet for the heavier precipitated materials near the bottom thereof, of means for admitting incoming materials to the tank comprising an inlet'pi e with a discharge orifice on the interior of the tank above the bottom thereofiand an adjustable outlet for discharging the clarified liquid of the tank comprising a dischar e pipe passingthrough the walls of] the tan adjacent the bottom thereof and having an upwardly-extending branch in which the discharge spout of a discharge ,pan is alidingly mounted, and means for as indicated at 61 and -60, ,,nected to th e inner end operating the said slidingly mounted dis 0 arge pan from the exterior of the tank.

2. In precipitation apparatus for removin fied, prising a discharge pipe piercing the walls f the tank and having an upwardly-extending branch with which the discharge spout of a discharge pan .or funnel is slidingly connected, and means for operating the said discharge pan from the exterior of the tank.

a tank, an mlet therefor comprising a pludeflector secured to the inner end pipe to directili the outer- 311s "0 ing the outeigi-w-alls, and an outlet for discharging liquid from the top surface thereof. 4. n oil, piecipitation apparatus, the corn- 'bina'tio11'-,,ivith a precipitation tank, of an outlet therefor, and an inlet therefor-comprising a plurality of pipes extending through th' walls of the tank at intervals and conneced together, and.'deflectors conto check the incoming fluid and to return it backwardly and upwardly against the Well through which it has entered.

5. Oil piecipitation apparatus comprising a precipitation tanlfi, an inlet therefor comprising pipes extending through the Walls of thetanlk and spaced apart adjacent the g impurities from oil and the like, the

precipitation apparatus comprising around the edges thereof, a df each uid upwardly and; toward the tank, means f r heatof each pipe adapted lot) bottom thhreof, the inner ends b eing disposed adjaic'ent. the walls through which the several pip to tho'inner end of each pipe adapted tochcck the incoming liquid and to return it backwardl ing the walls, an adjustable level top outlet' device for discharging liquid from the sur-.

es extend, deflector connected and upwardly against the walls in which t e liquid enters, means for heat-i face of-the liquid to assist the flow of liquid to the outlet.

6. Oil precipitation apparatus comprising a precipitation tank, an inlet therefor comprising pipes extending through the walls deflector connected to the inner end ofeach of'the tank and spaced apart adjaceht the no I several pipes extend, a

pipe adapted to check the incoming liquid and to return it backwardly and upwardlyagainst the walls in which the liquid entem, means for heating the Walls, an adjustable" level top out-let device for discharging liquid from the surface of the liquid within the tank, and a heating coil in the tank above the upper surface of the liquid to the Wall of the tankpand a deflector at me i0 end of the tube within the tank shaped to check the incoming liquid and to (in ect it backwardly and upwardly from the end of the tube.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specific-.afiion, in the presence of 15 two subscribing witnesses, on this 26th day of December, A. D. 1911.

WILLIAM L. MORRIS;

.Witnesses J 'W. BURROWS, .C. M. SMITH. 

